a r t i s t : O.W.L.
t i t l e : Of Wondrous Legends
d a t e : 2008
l a b e l : Locust (locust110 )
g e n r e : Folk
r l s. d a t e : Dec/2008
t r a c k s : 12
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 71,5 MB
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"Proof that there's still excellent albums out there to
discover. Drawing mainly on artrock and early light-prog
aesthetics, O.W.L deliver an ambitious song cycle which at its
best transforms into dazzling psychedelia. A pro-level
recording and elaborate arrangements that utilize keyboards,
flute, vibes and multi-tracked male vocals make for an
appealing surface, and unlike the typical Moody Blues
derivates, there's lots of personality and depth. The mood is
cerebral and refined, but the commitment and songwriting
should impress even those with no immediate love for the genre
(like me). The dominating style is dreamy melodic prog-rock
like the British album Spring, but the vocal style and ghostly
soundscape may at times recall Freeborne and Time on Shadoks,
while the chamber music intimacy reflects a possible Pearls
Before Swine influence. ThereüLs more keyboard than guitar,
which is typical for the style. Impressive on many levels,
with hypnotic Eastern lysergia on "Midnight Carnival", the
album's epic center-piece. The artist was formerly with the
pre-LP Mountain Bus, and recorded this as the first in a
projected series of albums."
- Patrick Lundborg, author of The Acid Archives
"The year is 1971 and Stephen Titra, from Chicago, records an
LP with advance money from Universal. The record company ends
up passing on the album, and the project, Of Wondrous Legends,
grinds to a halt. And just like that, the world lost a
fabulous yes, fabulous folk LP. Dawson Prater, head of Locust
Music, stumbled upon one of a handful of test pressings over
30 years later, managed to track down Titra, and finally
released Of Wondrous Legends in 2008. By then, unearthing
obscure psychedelic and freak folk recordings was the craze,
with very mixed results, but rest assured that this album has
nothing to do with those kinds of productions. In fact, Of
Wondrous Legends is surprisingly 'straightforward' and well
recorded. Titra's songs are poetic, soaring, imbued with a
fondness for Romanticism and Old Europe, with a current of
humanism running through the lyrics. Most of all, his voice is
very pleasant and he is surrounded by solid musicians. As a
result, the album offers genuine pastoral folk of the highest
caliber, up there with Shawn Phillips' Second Contribution -
the closest comparison and, frankly, the best compliment one
can make. Had this album been known a few years earlier, it
could have been seen as an influence on contemporary folk
artists like In Gowan Ring. There is not a single weak track
on the album, with only "Renaissance & Rococo" sounding
derivative of King Crimson's "I Talk to the Wind" and "Cadence
and Cascade"). "A Tale of a Crimson Knight" and "Breton
Landscape" are the best soft numbers, while "Midnight
Carnival" and "Everyman & The Philosopher King" liven up the
set with a rockier edge. Of Wondrous Legends ranks among the
very best previously-unknown finds of the last decade, as it
would rank among the best folk records of the late-60s/early-
70s had it been released when it was recorded. A must-have, as
much for collectors of obscure psych/folk than for fans of
Simon & Garfunkel. Yeah, it's that good, that accessible, and
that universal."
- Francoise Couture, All Music Guide
Of Wondrous Legends is a Chicago baroque psych gem recovered
from the dustbins of history. To the few who have heard it, it
has earned comparisons to Tim Buckley, Pearls Before Swine,
and 60s British prog-folk.
O.W.L was formed in 1968 on Chicago's north side by Stephen
Titra. A founding member of the beloved midwestern hippie jam
band Mountain Bus, Titra left that band just as their Dead-
inspired, bluesy jams gained serious regional traction in
order to fully devote himself to the inward looking, singular
vision of O.W.L.
Of Wondrous Legends was recorded at Chicago's Universal
Studios over a six month stretch in 1971 and a handful of test
pressings were produced and circulated, but despite serious
interest from a number of major labels, this gem went
unreleased. The passage of time only further helped ensure the
album's place in near total obscurity until a copy of one of
the test pressings was unearthed in a Chicago thrift shop in
2004. Following several years of collaborative efforts on this
lost epic, Of Wondrous Legends now sees its first public
release after some 35 years of obscurity.
Mastered from the original source tapes. Features copious
liner notes and vintage photos.
http://www.locustmusic.com/index.php?
option=com_albums&task=view&cid=113&cid2=95&Itemid=6
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01-Legends [05:02]
02-A Tale of a Crimson Knight [04:13]
03-Be Alive [03:54]
04-Renaissance and Rococo [04:21]
05-Midnight Carnival [08:27]
06-Dawn of Albion [03:21]
07-Upon the Wings of Gabriel [03:02]
08-Breton Landscape [02:52]
09-Everyman and the Philosopher King [05:38]
10-Peace of Mind [03:50]
11-Salvation Song [03:50]
12-Sunsets of Smiles [01:56]
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50:26 min